Tinos is a beautiful island in the Cyclades and is well known for its church. It receives thousands of visitors while offering a great number of museums and beautiful beaches that I would definitely suggest you to visit, especially if you are staying for days on the island.
How to get to Tinos island
Generally, there are 2 options that someone can choose to visit the island. The first way is to take the ship from the port of Piraeus. The duration of the trip is 5 hours. The second option is to take the ship from the port of Rafina. There are also 2 options. One is to travel by speedboat where the duration of the trip will be 2 hours. The other option is to travel on a conventional ferry with a journey time of about 3 hours. Prefer to take the ferry from the port of Rafina so that you have a less tiring trip and enjoy the island more as this option is shorter.
Check here the flights to Mykonos (the nearest airport to Tinos) or the flights to Athens.
Check here the best prices for ferries in Greece!
Panagia of Tinos (Panagia Evangelistria Tinos)
It is not possible to make this trip and not visit the most famous church of Tinos, whose visitors flood the island every year. Whether you decide to get there on your knees or walk, the church will leave you speechless. Personally, when I saw the church I was impressed! It is a two-story construction. On the first level, you can see rooms with traditional greek kolimbithres as well as beautiful pictures while to reach the second level you have to go up the stairs. Entering you will see a high-ceilinged space with many pictures and many vows! The view from the church is also unique as you can see the whole port.
Useful information: The church does not provide you with rosaries so you will need to buy one from outside if you do not already have one, so they will bless it.
Check also “Syros: The heart of the Cyclades“
Beaches of Tinos island
To get to the beaches of the island you can use the local buses where it guarantees to take you to any beach you wish. However, if you own or rent a car, you will gain more flexibility as you will save time on transportation and the journey will be more enjoyable.
Agios Sostis
© Evelina Braimi, voyagingtheworld.com
I consider it to be the most beautiful beach in Tinos! At the beginning of the beach, you will see a small church. This is the church of Agios Sostis, which is probably the reason why the beach was named so. As for the beach, it is an organized beach and has some beach bars. All you have to do is choose the beach bar you like best, sit down and enjoy the sea.
Saint Phocas
This beach is located near the center of Tinos. Its area is smaller than Agios Sostis but it is also an organized beach that offers beautiful and clear blue waters.
Saint John Porto
In this location, you will find two organized beach bars, To Fyki and La La Louza. Its beautiful waters are more than enough to make you visit this beach.
Kolimbithra
Many say it is the most beautiful beach in Tinos. Arriving at the entrance of the beach you will see an armchair where it is something like the attraction of the beach. On the plus side, it’s an organized beach. However, when I visited the beach, it was not very clean as it was very windy. So I would suggest you visit it one day that will not blow much.
Check also “Milos: a must-visit Greek island“
Museums of Tinos island
© Evelina Braimi, voyagingtheworld.com
All the museums that I will present to you are located in Panormos. This is a beautiful seaside place and you can get there using the local buses from the center of Tinos. You will need to get off at the last stop.
Museum of Marble
It is a very impressive museum which is housed in two buildings. There I learned that Tinos is and still is well known for the marbles created there. I highly recommend you to visit it.
Museum of Tinian Artists
This particular museum consists of a floor, where although the space is a small one, you can admire for sure the beautiful sculptures. As it is obvious from the title of the museum, all the sculptures have been created by Tinian artists.
Giannouli Halepa Museum
Many of you, like me, do not know Giannoulis Halepas. So my friends and I decided to visit his museum and learn more about him. Giannoulis Halepas was a well-known sculptor and his museum is housed in his house. During your visit to this museum, you will learn more about his life and you can see his personal belongings that have remained there since he died.
Check here all the available options for your stay on Tinos island!
General Tip: Although you can travel to the island with the help of buses, I think it is very useful to rent a car, especially if you are traveling with friends. By owning a car you will have the opportunity beyond the beaches and museums to visit other parts of Tinos but also to go to the festivals that take place in some of its villages.
By Evelina Braimi
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